Writing stuff down

So this happened to me today.

Usually, when I read Dilbert, I give a wry smile and thank God that I don’t have to work in corporate America.

Today, though, corporate America caught up with me. In fact, it’s a disease that’s been slowly infecting all walks of life – you’ll have seen it too. Not the lack of accountability, that’s something that has been with us for a while. But the idea that accountability is something that other people have to get a grip on so that we don’t have to.

You see, if I’m responsible for getting something done and I ask someone else to help me out, it doesn’t mean that I’m off the hook, that I can just sit there and wait for them to do it. They may be massively well organised, and I never have to ask for a thing twice, but no-one’s like that all the time, so if I want to get something done, I have to keep track of it and check in with them.

It’s that simple, I write it down on a list of things that that person is handling, and then when I next see them, I can simply check that list and ask “how’s it going”.

A simple cure for a paralysing disease, plus it keeps me accountable for everything that I have decided is important.

“Writing things down”. Try it, it’s the new “handing things off to someone.”